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Smash Journeyman

Chance: 10% - Her game came out a while ago, and while yes she has appeared in hyrule warriors and her game got a HD remake. she is still technically a one off in the zelda franchise, just like Ravio, Ghirahim, Groose, etc etc etc. which makes me feel like her chances are low since Sakurai has only done major/mainstay characters (not counting Shiek) but she is definitely popular so I'm not going to outright count her out.

Want: 5% - I haven't played much of TP yet. and don't have much of an attachment to her. and there are several Zelda characters I'd rather see get in over her. but any new Zelda characters would be cool.

Smash Ace

Midna
Chance - 10%
She will likely only become more obsolete as time passes and there are other contenders for a possible 5th Zelda slot that make her being picked over them seem less likely. Ghirahim probably has her beat in popularity, while impa has made more appearances, then you have anyone in the newest game, and lastly even Tingle scored his own games along the way.
Want - 10%
No strong feelings for or against her, but I think I'd be a little let down if some older character got priority over more relevant characters or over older characters that have nobody to rep their series. I just really don't see much hype potential in her.

Smash Lord

To be honest I'm actually not fully sure we'll get another Zelda newcomer despite the series' popularity, and I'm not convinced she's got a good shot at it. We've yet to get one of the latest one-shots other than someone who's technically just another form of one of the main trio anyway, and her main game was around Brawl's time. There is Hyrule Warriors and the Twilight Princess remake, but I don't know how much a spinoff and a remake really help. That said she is still a pretty popular character so she has a bit better shot than some other Zelda characters, but I don't think it's enough.
Want: 10%

Twilight Princess isn't one of my favorite Zelda titles and I'm not too interested in Midna as a fighter. I do think Zelda should get a new character finally, but ehhh, she wouldn't personally be my pick.
Professor Layton prediction: 22.94%

An old friend evolved

Chance: 5%
With the exception of Sheik (who was attached to Zelda), one-off characters tend to not be made playable in Smash, and Midna has it even worse since TP is no longer relevant. Her time has passed and she's missed her chance, and unfortunately she doesn't seem to have an opportunity to get another.

Want: 40%
She's one of my favorite sidekicks, but there are other characters I'm more interested in.

You can do it!

Midna
Chance: 5%
Zelda has not added any one off characters before. With the techical exeception of Sheik and Ganondorf. Sheik however is actually Zelda and was even attached to Zelda as a character. Ganondorf while only appearing once before in Ocarina of time, is also just the human form of Ganon and was a last minute clone of Captain Falcon. Ganondorf also went on to appear more times later.

Then there is the fact even if we are suddenly considering one offs there is a huge amount of competition. From her fellow assist trophies to the new BOTW characters. And do we have proof that she is more popular than any of them?

Want: 60%
Ultimately though she is cute. So it would be fun to see her. But not really anywhere near my top choices. I'm not going to be disappointed if she isn't in.

Advance Wars is the new Mother 3

Her chances are pretty mediocre TBH. Zelda doesn't add characters outside the usual Link/Zelda/Ganon trio (barring Shiek who's apart of Zelda) and if that trend was ever to be broken it would be a character from BoTW instead.
Want: 50%

Smash Journeyman

Midna
Chance- 10%
Popular, and Zelda is overdue for a character. Picking one of the Champions out of the bunch would seems strange, so that leaves limited recent options. Yet, I still don't see Midna getting over the fact that she is an irrelevant one-off. An AT slot seems more like a consolation than a hint of something bigger in her case.
Want- 15%
I like Midna a lot, but I also can't get over the fact that she is an irrelevant one-off. I agree with the point that Zelda is in the same spot as Pokemon and Fire Emblem, but... I don't like how Smash has handled those series, either. If we are going to get a one-off character, I personally think it should be from a game that will always be relevant no matter how old it gets by virtue of holding a massive significance for the series, perhaps even influencing culture at large. Awakening fits that role for FE, and Ocarina fulfills that for Zelda. BOTW might, as well. Twilight Princess, though? Midna's time has already passed, and she will only continue to get more irrelevant. I don't like cuts so I don't want Smash to become a revolving door of the most trendy one-off picks, but I also don't want to see the series get bogged down with characters that no longer make any sense. It's why I was annoyed by Corrin's addition, and Midna would play the same role. I'll give her a little bit just because she is fun, but the bias isn't strong enough for more.

Smash Ace

Midna:
Chance: 4%
There are so many potential Zelda characters that it's impossible to narrow it down to one. There's also still the question of Link possibly being a new character with the Wild Version. No Zelda character has very good odds at this point.

Cats > Dogs

Imo the most likely Zelda newcomer since BOTW Link is 99% going to be a reskin/revamp, and no, we're not going to get a champion. She's got Twilight Princess HD with an amiibo to boot, is a relatively popular choice which matters because of the ballot, Hyrule Warriors (which feels like its been relevant forever)... you get the point. That said, a Zelda newcomer isn't all that likely to begin with. If there was a character to break the ice and be the first non Triforce Zelda character, it'd be her though.

Want: 65%

She's kind of cool + a biped would be fun, assuming this is Midna riding Wolf Link like I'd expect. I've never played TP or HW though, so I don't really have much of a personal connection.

Smash Cadet

Midna
Chances: 76%
She's a well-liked character, the titular Twilight Princess, and she's even an Assist Trophy in Smash 4. Odds are pretty good for at least an appearance.
Want: 70%
I do enjoy her, but I do wonder if they'll have to include Wolf Link just to make her viable. Then again, they could just take cues from Hyrule Warriors...

Part-Time Youtuber, Full Time Nerd

Midna
Chance: 10% - Honestly, people are overrating her. Her popularity is all she's got; Twilight Princess hasn't been relevant since outside a re-release in years, and she's a one-off. If this were Hyrule Warriors, she'd be a lock, but this is Smash. If we get ANYONE else from Zelda, it'll be a recurring character (most likely Impa.)Want: 50% - I love Twilight Princess, but I could take or leave her.
Prediction: Professor Layton
Chance: 14.83%
Want: 69.81%

Smash Cadet

Midna
Chance: 15%
Odds are high that her time has been and gone, given her one appearance a decade ago in a game that has been overshadowed by it's predecessors and finally by BotW. She has popularity on her side but I don't think that's enough.

Want: 30%
If her AT is anything to go by there's some cool **** they can do with her, but there's several Zelda characters i'd prefer who can also do cool ****.

Smash Journeyman

As others here have already stated, popularity is her biggest catch. Twilight Princess is 2 games ago, and even so it's hard to see one-off Zelda characters making it in, BoTW included. The fact that she was an Assist Trophy helps her chances, however, so it's slightly more likely.

Midna want: 100%

Twilight Princess was my first Zelda game and the only one I played aside from BoTW. I love her character, I love the concept of a Midna + Wolf Link pair, and I love Twilight Princess.

Smash Champion

Ok calcs are gonna be in the morning around 6, so you guys will have until then to rate Midna. I need sleep, I’m driving to Boston on Thursday and doing all my work Wednesday.

Midna
10% Chance
Imo Midna is one of the characters I would say is most likely as a Zelda newcomer alongside skull kid and ghirahim. I think pig Ganon is the most likely due to the fact he is recurring but I feel the at chars have a good shot.
90% Want

The -10% is if she is not in imp form on wolf link but let’s be real she would be. I like the idea of a mounted character it would be cool. Also TP is fun.

Nominating No Cuts x5

Also you guys have until April 21st before the noms purge, anything below 20 is gonna be wiped off.

Smash Ace

I wrote a longer rating today, mostly because Midna gives me an excuse to talk about a broader topic that’s worth addressing.

Midna
Chance - 5%
Before I can talk about Midna, I first need to talk about the Legend of Zelda in Smash. Zelda representation has always been an odd task thanks to most games using unique iterations of some characters and many more characters that are totally unique for each title. Precious few have been in more than one game as exactly the same character, and even some that recycle a design like Toon Link are in truth a handful of different Links.

This helps explain why Zelda representation has been virtually the same since Melee, despite being one of Nintendo’s premiere franchises. Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf are all self-explanatory: the main hero, the titular princess, and, for all intents and purposes, the main villain. Then there’s Sheik, who got in initially as a part of Zelda’s moveset and as an extremely popular character prior to Melee’s release, and Young Link, a clone who originally represented the infamous N64 titles and has since been updated to Toon Link as he became a prominent part of the Zelda universe.

Back in Melee, five characters was a lot for a single franchise, and even now it’s a pretty healthy number. More importantly, with the exception of Sheik, they effectively cover the important recurring characters of a series that doesn’t really have that many. The fact that Zelda’s representation barely changed in Brawl and Sm4sh seems to confirm this, even as the series has remained a juggernaut for Nintendo. Now, that isn’t to say we can never get a new Zelda character, as to this day Sheik really only represents Ocarina of Time, but clearly the bar to get in for a Zelda character is very high, or else we surely would have gotten one by now.

Now, let’s talk Midna. Twilight Princess is now about eleven and a half years old, and while she continues to enjoy great popularity, she still is really only tied to that game, with her only other major appearance being Hyrule Warriors, which has just about every Zelda character that makes a lick of sense on the roster. More importantly, she’s already missed not one but two Smash rosters, and her credentials haven’t exactly improved in the lead-up to Smash for Switch. Now, if Sakurai is looking to re-evaluate Zelda representation in Smash, or if Midna is just that popular (thanks to ballot results or whatever other data Nintendo has), maybe she sneaks in. As it is, I’m not convinced Zelda will bother changing its representation beyond updating Link’s costume, and even if they add a character, there’s too many good options to assume Midna would be the choice.

Want - 75%
Midna and Wolf Link is one of the Smash character ideas I’ve liked for a long time. It’s not my favorite pick for Zelda (that’s still Tetra), but I’d definitely be happy to have her.

Nominations - Lucina x5

Professor Layton Predictions - 12.5% Chance, 44% Want
I have no idea what the answer to this puzzle will be.

Smash Ace

Chance: 22%
For as long as she's in the game, Sheik will keep the door open for all the token one-shot Zelda characters. But Brawl was about the best and only time to get a Midna inclusion, and every LoZ entry added to the series since then only smothers her chances. This is especially so after Breath of the Wild and its dramatic break from Ocarina of Time-style structuring, which Twilight Princess fervently followed only to now watch it teeter on the brink of obsolescence. Still, Midna remains relatively popular while also bringing the potential for an interesting set, with or without a third Link.

Want: 25%
Not bad, but not someone I'd prioritise. She's got the moves and the memorability, but I'm not fond of supporting one-shots getting into the roster, notwithstanding Sheik and Rosalina.

Smash Lord

Has only gotten less relevant in the main Zelda series, as Twilight Princess recedes. The HD remake helps a little, but time has also introduced new competition. And to the extent that Hyrule Warriors shows potential for her, it also helps other Zelda characters, like Impa (although Impa seems most likely to either replace Sheik, or be a costume, or a clone/semi-clone of Sheik).

But, I will say that looking over the roster of Hyrule Warriors, and considering also the Breath of the Wild characters, which pretty much covers all of the plausible Zelda newcomers, Midna still doesn't have a lot of strong competition.

Compared to Fi, she is far more popular and well-received. She is much more central to her game than Ravio, or any Goron, Zora, Rito or (non-Ganondorf) Gerudo character or minor characters like Groose. Ganon and Demise suffer from Ridley's problem of being Too Big™. She has more personality than most of them as well. She also has plenty of unique move set material.

IMO her biggest competitors are Impa, Tetra and Skull Kid, with more minor competition from villains (Ghirahim, Zant, Yuga) and Tingle (who would be controversial, but certainly has uniqueness).

For me, hopefully, Hyrule Warriors could've given them some ideas for Zelda characters, so the chance of a Zelda newcomer is maybe a little higher than it would otherwise be. But each piece of the Triforce already has one or two representatives, so they may feel Zelda is complete.

Midna chance: 15%
Ultimately, I think that a Zelda newcomer isn't guaranteed and there are many options aside from Midna. She's got a better chance than most but isn't an overwhelming favorite. I would be quite surprised if we got two Zelda newcomers, unless one was a clone (Impa or Toon Zelda or something).

Smash Lord

Chance: 16.7%
If we get a surprise Zelda character, I think Midna has a decent shot. Her popularity has stood the test of time (I mean, look how quickly she made it to the top of this rating list), and thanks to the Smash Ballot I think Sakurai is going to give us a few surprises that we might not expect. It wouldn't shock me if Midna happened to be one of the most voted Zelda characters on the Ballot if not the most popular. My friend voted for her and he has never even played Twilight Princess. She's one of the most popular characters in Hyrule Warriors and she continues to be popular among the Smash community, whereas I've noticed other characters such as Ghirahim falling off the radar a bit. If Sakurai is looking for a surprise Zelda character to add, Midna making the jump from Assist Trophy status isn't out of the realm of possibility to me. Midna wouldn't even look all that out of place next to the Zelda cast since they've been sporting their Twilight Princess appearances since Brawl (While I do believe it's possible, I actually don't think Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf are getting updated Breath of the Wild appearances in this game).
I'll give the Twilight Princess herself a one out of six shot of 16.7%. She's still an unlikely addition overall, but I could potentially see it happening. I believe we'd have to get at least more than one new Zelda character in order for Sakurai to consider Midna as a playable candidate.

Want: 9%
I definitely like Midna as a character, but I've never really had the desire to see her playable in Smash Bros. I think her current role as an Assist Trophy is perfectly fine. There are a couple other Zelda characters that I'm rooting for, but I believe they have slightly less chances than Midna.

Smash Ace

I'm honestly not sure why aside from being recent; that the Champions from Breath of the Wild would be chosen as we wouldn't likely get all 4. So, if we wouldn't likely get all 4 Champions which one would we get? I don't see any one Champion getting in over another meaning they won't likely be added.

So, if we don't get a Champion how can they affect other Zelda characters chances?

Thread Title Changer

I'm honestly not sure why aside from being recent; that the Champions from Breath of the Wild would be chosen as we wouldn't likely get all 4. So, if we wouldn't likely get all 4 Champions which one would we get? I don't see any one Champion getting in over another meaning they won't likely be added.

So, if we don't get a Champion how can they affect other Zelda characters chances?

We got Link before we got the other bearers of the Triforce, despite Zelda and Ganondorf being as important. We got Charizard as a standalone when Pokémon Trainer got axed, despite him being equally important as Squirtle and Ivysaur in Brawl. We got Robin, but not Chrom, despite both being Awakening's main characters. We got Alph as an alt for Olimar despite Charlie being the captain of the SS Drake.

If Sakurai wants a Champion, he'll pick one. It's not necessarily an all or nothing thing like some fans paint it.

Akko is my dear daughter!

Before I can talk about Midna, I first need to talk about the Legend of Zelda in Smash. Zelda representation has always been an odd task thanks to most games using unique iterations of some characters and many more characters that are totally unique for each title. Precious few have been in more than one game as exactly the same character, and even some that recycle a design like Toon Link are in truth a handful of different Links.

This helps explain why Zelda representation has been virtually the same since Melee, despite being one of Nintendo’s premiere franchises. Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf are all self-explanatory: the main hero, the titular princess, and, for all intents and purposes, the main villain. Then there’s Sheik, who got in initially as a part of Zelda’s moveset and as an extremely popular character prior to Melee’s release, and Young Link, a clone who originally represented the infamous N64 titles and has since been updated to Toon Link as he became a prominent part of the Zelda universe.

Back in Melee, five characters was a lot for a single franchise, and even now it’s a pretty healthy number. More importantly, with the exception of Sheik, they effectively cover the important recurring characters of a series that doesn’t really have that many. The fact that Zelda’s representation barely changed in Brawl and Sm4sh seems to confirm this, even as the series has remained a juggernaut for Nintendo. Now, that isn’t to say we can never get a new Zelda character, as to this day Sheik really only represents Ocarina of Time, but clearly the bar to get in for a Zelda character is very high, or else we surely would have gotten one by now.

Now, let’s talk Midna. Twilight Princess is now about eleven and a half years old, and while she continues to enjoy great popularity, she still is really only tied to that game, with her only other major appearance being Hyrule Warriors, which has just about every Zelda character that makes a lick of sense on the roster. More importantly, she’s already missed not one but two Smash rosters, and her credentials haven’t exactly improved in the lead-up to Smash for Switch. Now, if Sakurai is looking to re-evaluate Zelda representation in Smash, or if Midna is just that popular (thanks to ballot results or whatever other data Nintendo has), maybe she sneaks in. As it is, I’m not convinced Zelda will bother changing its representation beyond updating Link’s costume, and even if they add a character, there’s too many good options to assume Midna would be the choice.

We got Link before we got the other bearers of the Triforce, despite Zelda and Ganondorf being as important. We got Charizard as a standalone when Pokémon Trainer got axed, despite him being equally important as Squirtle and Ivysaur in Brawl. We got Robin, but not Chrom, despite both being Awakening's main characters. We got Alph as an alt for Olimar despite Charlie being the captain of the SS Drake.

If Sakurai wants a Champion, he'll pick one. It's not necessarily an all or nothing thing like some fans paint it.

Akko is my dear daughter!

Layton getting chosen for Smash Switch ultimately depends on how he did in the Smash Ballot. Sakurai will likely use the poll for reference to see which third-party candidates he could add. Fortunately, I think Layton likely ranked in the top 5, at least in the region of Europe. Layton back in Smash 4 speculation was among the most wanted newcomers, going as far being in the top 10 in a VGtribune poll that was sent to Sakurai. I feel very confident that Layton ranked high in the ballot, due to the franchise’s immense popularity in Europe.

Because of his potentially high ballot rank in Europe, I think Sakurai will consider Layton for playability. In terms of moveset potential, he already has a high amount for Sakurai to dance his mind around with, basing on Layton’s gentlemanly characterization and puzzle gameplay elements. Professor Layton is one of the few franchises that helped the DS surge in popularity when the first three games came out, giving Layton the game history needed to qualify for Smash. Level-5 has such a strong relationship with Nintendo for so many years ever since the first Layton game came out, that I feel Level-5 and Nintendo would definitely agree on the idea of the professor being playable in Smash.

Though that being said, there is one tiny dilemma that I can see happening with these negotiations, that being Level-5 wanting the company to add a Youkai Watch character instead. But at this point of YW’s state in Japan and worldwide, I ultimately feel Layton will be the one chosen, especially when the Layton franchise has seen a recent major resurgence and focus on the franchise in the form of Lady Layton game/anime and the professor’s international recognition in the gaming community.

Because of Layton’s potentially high demand in Europe, the legacy he carries in the DS era, the moveset potential, and the likeliness that Nintendo/Level-5 would agree on the idea of Layton being in Smash, it lines up to him being one of the most likely third party candidates for Smash Switch. I would say he is just as, if not more, likely as Rayman.

Smash Hero

Professor Layton and Luke were exploring Smashboards again after hearing the news about the recent Smash Bros Switch announcement. They have been wanting to investigate and solve the mysteries surrounding the tournament. While exploring the Newcomer Speculation forum, they noticed a thread that caught their attention: a thread titled "Rate their Chances - Switch Edition! Day 27 - Professor Layton."

Look, Professor! The Rate Their Chances thread is back! I didn't think it would return so soon, let alone did I think it would examine you this early on!​

Well, it's only natural the announcement of an upcoming Smash tournament to entice people to the point of reviving fun ways to keep their excitements high.

That makes sense. The Rate Their Chances game seems to be one of those traditions people do to prepare for the Smash tournament.​

Indeed. It's a place where people speculate about a fighter's chances of participating in the upcoming Smash tournament. Seeing how the thread thrives with speculation, this reminds me of a puzzle!

A puzzle? What do you have in mind, Professor?​

Luke, remember when we first participated in the Rate Their Chances thread two years ago in that Character Support Thread Group part of Smashboards?

Yes, I do! We talked about what we thought your chances at appearing in the Smash tournament at the time!​

Precisely, my boy! Seeing how we first discussed my chances at appearing in the Smash tournament a while ago, I think it is worth discussing it again.

But it has only been two years since we solved that puzzle, Professor. I don't think much has changed.​

Oh, you would be surprised, Luke. A lot has happened since we last discussed this topic, and some of these things have even boosted my chances. That's why I think it's worth revisiting this puzzle! I'll help you through it just like I did last time. We can both work together to find the solution!

Professor Layton and Luke are revisiting the Rate Their Chances thread. This is a place where people discuss a video game character's chances of participating in the next Smash Bros tournament. With the recent announcement of a new tournament coming to the Nintendo Switch later this year, you bet everyone is eagerly speculating yet again. Today just so happens to be the day people are talking about Layton's chances at appearing in the tournament.

Some aspects about Layton's chances remain the same, but others have changed. In fact, some of those new elements have improved his chances!

Using the knowledge about Layton's chances in the Smash 4 days and how his chances are currently looking like for Smash Switch as of April 2018, what is an accurate chance score for the Professor at the moment?

I think we should begin by reiterating what remains true about the positives. ​

Indeed, my boy. It never hurts to take care of the easy elements first before tackling the harder parts. You can begin.

One of the strongest advantages you have is that your games have a very close relationship with Nintendo. They are all Nintendo exclusives, and they were especially successful! As of April 2015, the series has sold over 15 million copies! The first four games sold especially well, while the 5th title, Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, was the best-selling 3DS when the Nintendo 3DS was first released in Japan. In fact, your series has become one of Nintendo's flagship series in its portable gaming industry!

It's also worth mentioning that while your games were popular worldwide, they were especially popular in Europe thanks to the European cultural elements found in each of those games. Your games have even gained a large following amongst female gamers (and the fact Katrielle Layton is the new star of the new Layton games is proof of that), so I conclude that if you were invited for Smash, you will surely attract a wide array of gamers to the tournament.​

Well said. Now that we are on the subject of the Smash tournament's organizer, Nintendo, I think we should build off of that and talk about how that company is closely affiliated with the one that created us: Level 5.

Level 5 and Nintendo... a-ha! The two companies share a very close relationship together! Almost all of Level 5's games have been Nintendo Exclusive, and even the Inazuma Eleven anime created by Level 5 was also featured in the Nintendo Anime Channel for a period of time.

We also cannot forget that Nintendo is the company in charge of publishing, translating, and advertising the Level 5 games when they come out to the West. This relationship is so close that many people have mistaken you for being a Nintendo character, Professor!​

Hahaha, very true! Level 5 and Nintendo have a strong friendship indeed. Akihiro Hino, Level 5's CEO, even expressed interest in seeing me participate in Smash at one point.

There was also something else that crossed my mind about your series' success. The series has achieved seven games, a well-received movie, and even a crossover with that famous lawyer, Phoenix Wright!​

Right you are. There are also a few new things associated with my franchise too that have developed in this past year.

New things? What exactly do you mean, Professor?​

As you are aware, the seventh game in the franchise and the subsequent games that will come after it star my daughter, Katrielle Layton, as the main protagonist. As such, one of the new things she will star in is a new anime that begins airing this month.

An anime? Good golly, I didn't think your series would spawn an anime!​

Remember that my series did have an animated, feature-length movie that was praised by critics and fans. Considering this fact and how far the series has come, I don't think it's that surprising to see an anime.

Well, in that case, we can definitely add that anime to your list of credentials. Maybe we should also add that you now have two Twitteraccounts as well?​

Admittedly, it has almost been a year since I last updated in my personal Twitter account, but I would certainly take note about the official Layton series Twitter account as that is proof my franchise has an identifiable mark in the mainstream Internet.

That makes sense.... Huh...​

Is something on your mind, my boy?

Yes. It has do with your daughter, Katrielle.​

My daughter? I sense an interesting argument about to be brought forth. Go on.

Seeing how your daughter is the new main star of the new Layton series and the upcoming anime, I feel like some will argue that she is the one who has the better shot to participate in the upcoming Smash tournament instead of you.​

Ah yes, the question of relevancy and how it can affect old vs new stars. I know just the answer to that concern.

My daughter may have inherited the reigns of being a main protagonist, but I would not say this automatically gives her a higher chance. Due to her recency, not many people are likely to recognize her from the get-go compared to the one that has been the main protagonist for much longer.

Ah, so you're saying that because you have been around for much longer than she has, you are the more recognized individual, and therefore, you are more likely to participate in the upcoming tournament.​

Precisely!

And on that note, when she first established her detective agency, many of her customers were surprised that she would be the one solving the tasks and not you. That just shows you are still the more recognized individual at the moment.

We also can't forget that you still do appear in her recent game and anime as well. After all, one of her main goals is to find your whereabouts. That just shows you are still playing a major role in her games, even if you are not the main protagonist.​

Good points, Luke.

Do you think she'll ever have a chance at participating in a future Smash tournament, Professor?​

Why of course! I think there will come a day when she will be eligible to receive an invitation for that sort of thing, but the first thing for that to happen would have to involve me being invited to the Smash tournament. Once I am invited and participate in it, that will allow her and other prominent individuals from my series to receive a chance to compete in this grand competition. At the moment, I think it'd be best to give her some time to learn and develop her puzzle-solving skills some more before she can participate in something that can be quite dangerous.

I see you that you still care about your daughter very much. You are quite a loving father, Professor.

Now that we talked about Katrielle enough, I think we should go back to the subject of your series' fame. I remember you made a good point about how you were very important to Level 5's success!​

Ah yes! You could also say that the success of my series is what allowed Level 5 to reach the public eye and become one of the more recognized video game companies of this past decade. By keeping the same style that myseries introduced, they went on to produce two other successful series: Nii no Kuni and Yokai Watch.

I've even made a few cameos in some Level 5's other works. First, there was Inazuma Eleven where us and the famed soccer team shared a fun football match. That one Yokai Watch character, Professor Lenkon, is also inpired from me (a pretty amusing one too if I do say so myself). Finally, I also appeared on a billboard in LBX: Little Battlers Experience.

And judging from all these crossovers, that means Level 5 acknowledges you as its major gaming icon!​

Exactly! Now, keeping that concept of gaming icon in mind, what is my series known for?

The puzzles! They work a lot like a series of brain teasers, and they cover various modes of critical thinking. For that reason, you are the puzzle-gaming rep of all video games!​

Careful now, Luke. Remember to add the word "arguably" to that specific claim. There are other video game characters you could make good arguments regarding who is the current greatest puzzle-game rep in the gaming world.

Oh, right. I remember that you also made a brief aside regarding how one of the current Smash tournament participants, Dr. Mario, doesn't necessarily qualify for that kind of title.​

Indeed. Dr. Mario isn't a true puzzle game rep since his games are essentially spin-offs of a much bigger franchise. My series, on the other hand, would have more interesting representation in the Smash tournament since it's a unique series that is especially known for puzzles and mysteries.

That is a very good point.

Another thought has also just crossed my mind. When your series first began, Nintendo was looking to appeal to the casual audience. One casual activity Nintendo discovered that those people enjoy is reading books, so the company figured one way they could appeal to them was to release games with a visual novel format, and your series had that kind of style.

Combine the visual format style with the brain teasers, and you have a game that appeals so well to casual gamers. That's why your series has been very successful!​

Well said, my boy! I see that you remembered that argument quite well!

But that also reminds me of something. Even to this day, there are STILL people who laugh and underestimate you. They say you would never be invited to a Smash tournament because, "You're just a gentleman who solves puzzles. You can't fight at all!" Those people really get on my nerves!​

Stay calm, Luke! Now is not the time to get angry in a place like this. If you speak with anger towards them, they may not think of you well. A true gentleman is one who stays calm and speaks well in order to leave the best impression on others. I shall give my response to those people once more.

To answer their concern, I would remind them about the fact that Smash has had individuals like a yoga trainer, a simple dog with his duck pal, and an ordinary village boy participate in the tournament. Apparently, I'm one of those characters that the tournament's organizer, Masahiro Sakurai, would invite for the shock value.

Many of my attacks would most likely revolve around the numerous numbers of puzzles I solved throughout my adventures. The way I would use those elements would be similar to another character named "Mr. Game & Watch" and how he pulls out different elements from his series at random to pay homage to the Game and Watch series.

I can also utilize various archaeological tools and artifacts against my foes. It's important that these fighters know what field that I teach as a professor by having such objects ready. My fencing skills will also be especially handy for an environment like this.

Hearing you speak so eloquently on this matter has calmed me down. Thanks Professor! ​

Anytime, Luke!

But don't forget to not rely on your sword too much or else people will think you're just another ordinary sword-fighter, and there seems to be some kind of stigma against those kinds of fighters at the moment.​

You are correct. I would be sure to only use a sword for a few attacks so that I can focus on the puzzles I solved and the inventions I created. By striking this balance, this will give spectators the impression that I am a fighter representing the puzzle and mystery-game genre and not an ordinary swordsman.

I think we talked about the positives long enough. Should we get to the negatives that can prevent you from being invited to the Smash tournament? I actually remember a lot of those points that we previously discussed regarding them.​

Yes, now is a good time to touch on that subject. Carry on!

The biggest issue that comes to mind is that you are a third-party character. Such individuals are harder to invite to Smash than the first-party ones. In fact, they say you need a really big legacy to be invited, and compared to some of the more commonly discussed third-parties like Rayman or Snake, some people think you are not iconic.

But what they do not realize is that you fit Sakura's third-party criteria when it comes to how he chooses which third-party characters to fight in Smash. We talked quite extensively about how you are a gaming icon to Level 5 and how that would fit Sakurai's criteria. Also, since Akihiro Hino expressed interest in seeing you participate in Smash and Level 5 has a close relationship with Nintendo, Sakurai would have an easier time inviting you to Smash compared to other third-party candidates.

We even had one third-party character that managed to participate in Smash despite not being a massive gaming icon: Bayonetta. She is proof that you don't need to be super iconic to be invited to Smash. Sakurai even called her a "realizable" choice!​

I see you remember that argument quite well. Well done.

The only part I would add to it is that Bayonetta was added because she won the Smash Ballot, so one can argue that alone was what brought her to the Smash tournament. Still, you do make a very good point regarding what Bayonetta's invitation means for future third-party candidates to be considered for Smash.

You even had a good number of fans who have been wanting you to participate in Smash for quite some time. I think you also have that supporter-part covered too.

There was also the issue of relevancy back then when your series was on hiatus, but that is no longer an issue since your series has returned full swing with the Layton's Mystery Journey series and the upcoming anime featuring it. We also already countered the claim Katrielle Layton would have the better chance because she is the new star by explaining how you have been around longer and are thus more recognizable.

In other words, your chances are looking really good right now Professor!​

Indeed, but there is one major issue that you are forgetting: competition!

Competition? With who?​

Jibanyan, the ghost cat with fire powers and the mascot of Yokai Watch.

Oh yeah, Jibanyan. His series is still around, and it seems like there are still a good number of people who want to see him fight in the upcoming Smash tournament, especially in Japan.​

Yes, Yokai Watch has become a commercial success in Japan. It also saw some success overseas as well. This makes Jibanyan my main competitor for the upcoming Smash Tournament if Sakurai were to choose a single individual to represent Level 5.

And while Bayonetta's inclusion is proof that someone like Jibanyan can be invited, Sakurai should still remember that it was because of you and your series that Level 5 and Yokai Watch managed to become as recognized as they are today.​

Indeed.

Now, considering everything we have discussed, what do you think are my new chances of appearing in this upcoming Smash tournament as of now?

I'd say you currently have a 25% chance of being invited to the upcoming Smash tournament!​

Let's find out.

*You can stop playing that puzzle music right now*

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The info below is the TL;DR version of what Professor Layton and Luke discussed

Despite being third party, Professor Layton is a modern day video game icon that has left an international legacy. While this legacy may not compare to other commonly speculated third party characters commonly speculated about, Professor Layton's series is still considered to be a huge success in the gaming world, selling 15 million units as of April 2015, seven games, a well-received movie, it's main star having several cameos in other Level 5 games, a new anime starring her daughter, two Twitter accounts, and even a crossover with Phoenix Wright. It's focus on puzzles, deep story-telling, and a visual novel-style format appealed to the casual audience that Nintendo started to focus on with the release of the Nintendo DS. These aspects are what make Professor Layton a strong candidate for being the puzzle-game rep of the current video gaming era.

Thanks to the series success, not only has it become one of Nintendo's flagships in the portable gaming industry, it also allowed Level 5 to reach the public eye and develop highly popular games like Yokai Watch. His cameos in other Level 5 game's are proof of the legacy he left to the company. Level 5 also has a very close relationship with Nintendo, and even Akihiro Hino has even expressed interest in seeing Layton in Smash Bros at one point. This would make Professor Layton easier to implement compared to other third parties.

Professor Layton also has a ton of unique moveset potential that people would not realize unless they play the Layton games themselves or do their research. He could use various elements from any of the puzzles he solved in the series. He could also use the inventions he created in the past to highlight his powerful intellect and archaeological tools and artifacts to highlight his archaeological side. Of course, some of his moves would also involve sword-fighting techniques to highlight his fencing prowess. Altogether, Layton's moveset potential would allow him to stand out as the puzzle-game rep on the roster.

What are his issues, then? The most obvious one is that he is third-party. That alone doesn't make his chances as high as a first-party candidate. Professor Layton also has some massive competition with Jibanyan for the potential Level 5 slot thanks to Yokai Watch's popularity. Relevancy may have been an issue in the past, but that's no longer a problem now that the series lives on through the Layton's Mystery Journey games.

Some will argue that his daughter, Katrielle Layton, has a better chance to be in the next Smash game compared to the Professor himself because she has taken over as the new main protagonist of the Layton games, and the upcoming anime features her as the star. However, it is important to consider that Professor Hershel Layton is still the more recognized character between the two since he has been around for much longer. Heck, he still plays a major role in Layton's Mystery Journey thanks to Katrielle's motivation of locating her father. That's additional proof he is still the most important character to the franchise.

He is also decently popular when it came to requests too, and Bayonetta's inclusion is proof that you don't need to be a massive gaming icon to be a third-party in Smash (something that many argued against Layton in the past); at the same time, this also means Jibanyan is more likely as well. Still, Layton is not a character to be underestimated.

Want:100%

Professor Layton is my favorite video game character of all time, and my most wanted character to be playable in Smash Bros since the Smash 4 days.

The Professor Layton series is among my favorite video game franchises. It is filled with fun brain teasers and has has some of the best stories I've ever experienced from all the video games I played. The colorful and entertaining cast of characters are another reason why I adore the Layton series, and the Professor himself is no exception. I adore Professor Layton because of his many wonderful characteristics: he is smart, badass, and most of all, a true gentleman. The Professor has left many quotes that I consider to be endearing and inspirational, and he has even become one of my personal role-models. He also has a very deep and sad backstory regarding how he became the man he is now and the hardships he experienced, but we'd be going into major spoiler territory if I were to talk about that.

Anyways, I think Layton would make a ridiculously fun fighter in Smash considering how much moveset potential he has. From the inventions he made, to his fencing skills, to his archaeological tools and artifacts, to all elements from the wide array of puzzles from the series, he’d be the kind of character that would surely remind foes “of a puzzle.” You look at the professor and think, “What’s this simple gentleman going to do to me?” Suddenly, he plays with you mind as he pulls out different inventions and puzzle elements out of nowhere as you react with pure surprise.

In fact, if you are still not convinced about Layton being a Smash fighter, here's a moveset I created for him that encompasses everything I discussed regarding what he would do and how I imagine he'd play out as a Smash fighter:

Basic Animations:

Walk: Layton would walk normally like he does in the games.

Run: A basic running animation. Visually, it resembles the scenes when he chased the Black Raven in Last Specter and the moment the Giant Float is about to collapse on him in Miracle Mask. He has the same running speed as Snake.

Jump: He lunges upward in the first jump. With his second jump, he curls his body, but it doesn't give him too much vertical distance. It is very similar to Snake's jumps, but Layton's up special makes up for it.

Fall: Layton holds onto his hat with one hand while his other arm is held out, slightly bent. He has relatively fast falling speed as he is a bit of a heavy weight.

Crouch: Layton bends with one knee while one arm rests on it.

Crawl: A basic crawling animation where Layton crawls with his knees and hands.

Shield: Layton grabs his hat with one hand, while his other arm is bent and hovers over his chest.

Roll: Instead of rolling, Layton slides to the outside of the stage. When returning back, he has one hand on the ground as he bends his body forward.

Side-step: Layton grabs his hat with one hand and moves toward the back of the stage with a surprised expression while his other arm extends far to the side.

Dizzy: Layton grabs his hat with one hand and stumbles from left to right.

Sleep: Layton sits down with his legs crossed while resting his head on one of his arms.

Swimming: Layton moves his arms similar to a breast-stroke pull.

Drowning: He lowers his hat over his eyes with one of his hands, while the other arm and his legs float helplessly in the water.

Launching scream: Layton screams, "Uuwaaahhh." It sounds similar to the scene when he tumbles with Luke through the forest in Azran Legacy.

KO scream: Layton screams, "Huaghh." It sounds exactly like his scream when Emmy crossed his path at the beginning of Last Specter.

Star KO scream: Sounds exactly like his scream from Azran Legacy when the beam of light was killing him.

Basic attacks:

Jab: Layton delivers a small slap with his right hand while raising his pinky (supposed to be a gentleman's slap).

Double Jab: The second jab is another gentleman's slap, but he uses his left hand instead.

Triple Jab: Layton pulls out a fencing sword and uses it like he's in a fencing match. It can lead into a repetitive jab, and the final blow is the finishing fencing move that touches the opponent.

Dash Attack: Layton pulls out a metallic pipe and slashes from left tor right. The attack manner is similar to Marth's dash attack.

Tilt Attacks:

Forward Tilt: Layton holds out his magnifying glass, and the tool gives the same orange tint just like it does in the games when you find something of interest (even producing the same sound effect). The moment when the magnifying glass turns orange is when damage is delivered.

Up Tilt: Layton takes an "a-ha" stance as the iconic red exclamation mark from the games appears above his head. This exclamation mark is what deals the damage, and it is his strongest tilt attack.

Down Tilt: Layton uses an archaeological hand pick and does a hammering animation using it.

Aerial Attacks:

Neutral Aerial: Layton grabs a camera by its strap and swings it around himself.

Forward Aerial: Layton uses the same metallic pipe and moves the pipe downward. Visually, the attack resembles Layton's first strike on Descole when Layton released himself from the Fossil Glider in Azran Legacy.

Back Aerial: Keats the Puzzle Cat emerges from Layton's coat, and the cat slashes foes from behind Layton's back before returning to his coat. During this animation, Layton watches Keats with a surprised expression and quickly helps Keats return back into his coat.

Up Aerial: Layton pulls out the toy robot from Miracle Mask and holds it above his head. The toy robot then does a small, upward jump from Layton's hand while moving its arms up. This attack has a dual-damaging effect where it can potentially deal two blows to the opponent. There is a sweet-spot at the robot's arms.

Down Aerial: Layton takes a shovel and stabs it toward the ground. The attack heavily resembles Link's down aerial, even having the same meteor spike if the opponent is hit by the sweet-spot.

Grabs:

Pummel: Layton knees his opponent.

Each of Layton's throws reference various puzzles throughout the series. In each throw, he releases his opponent and changes into a thinking position. Upon releasing his opponent, the throw takes place. After the throw finishes, he looks up with a grin on his face, just like when a puzzle is correctly solved. Think of it as if Layton uses his intellectual thoughts to attack the foe. It's like Layton is playing "mind-games" with his opponents!

Forward Throw: A small toy train (as seen from a bird's eye view) appears above Layton, moves toward the opponent, and latches onto him/her. The train quickly moves slightly forward then diagonally upward before disappearing and releasing the opponent. It mimics those "drag the line" puzzles where you need to get a chain to another side, usually involving trains of some sort.

Back Throw: Three pitchers appear in front of Layton. The opponent is then thrown between the pitchers as if he/she is being poured like milk. It mimics the milk puzzle from Curious Village.

Up Throw: Three rectangular blocks push the opponent upwards, with the final block releasing the opponent high. It's a weak attack with high knockback, mimicking those "drag the blocks to get a certain piece to the other side" puzzles that are very common throughout the series.

Down Throw: A tetris-shaped block pushes the opponent downward. A second one pushes the opponent in a direction behind Layton. The last piece pushes the opponent upward. This ultimately creates a rigid U-shaped throw. It mimics those "fix the pictures" puzzles that is akin to assembling a jigsaw puzzle, but the pieces are more tetris-shaped.

Smash Attacks:

Each of these attacks involve the Azran Keystone from Azran Legacy.

Forward Smash: Layton pulls out the Azran Keystone casually holding it to the side for the charging animation. Once he finishes charging, he extends his arm holding the Keystone in front of himself. The Keystone then delivers a shockwave-like blast that deals tremendous damage to foes. The blast looks exactly the same as the one that was produced from the device in the games.

Up Smash: It plays out almost identically to the forward smash. The only difference is that Layton holds the Keystone above his head for the finishing blow, and the blast deals vertical knockback.

Down Smash: Unlike the forward and up smashes, Layton puts the Azran Keystone on the ground and holds it there for the charging animation. Once fully charged, the Keystone emits the the same blast, only this time, it covers a 360 degree radius surrounding Layton.

Specials:

Standard Special - Coin-Slot Machine Gun: Layton pulls out the same gun of the same name he created in Unwound Future. He charges it then and fires a barrage of coins. The length of time it takes to fire the coins depends on your charge time. Layton can move left and right while firing his gun, but he cannot turn around while doing so. The barrage of coins has the same effect as firing multiple, small shots from the Super Scope, but unlike the Super Scope, you can combo into a grab by moving toward the foe as you fire coins to keep him/her stunned. The gun can fire for up to five seconds at most. You can't use it right away after the gun finishes firing because the next Layton uses the attack, he will dump a bag of coins to prepare for the next attack. It takes about one second for Layton to dump coins. Once he finishes doing so, you can charge and fire again.

Side Special - Hamster Attack: Layton throws an apple, and if it hits someone, it does a small amount of damage. If he uses the side special again, he will throw the hamster this time, and it will quickly run towards the apple. As the hamster runs, it can climb up walls similar to the Bombchu, and it can damage anyone in its path with small damage. Once it reaches the apple, the hamster eats it. If an opponent is right next to an apple, he/she will be trapped by the hamster as it eats the apple and wrack up damage with each bite. Basically, the hamster is biting the opponent's feet in the process. With the final bite, the opponent is launched with decent knock back.

Up Special - Globe Glider: Layton uses the Globe Glider he built from Curious Village. When utilizing it, he faces towards his front. The glider can travel very high and is easy to maneuver, similar to Snake and ROB's up specials. This attack makes up for Layton's low second jump, repeating a similar deal to Snake's recovery. The glider can also disrupt an opponent's up-special when it makes contact, but in doing so, the glider will lose control for a few seconds before Layton is forced to dislodge himself. This references the scene when the glider slightly touches Don Paolo's helicopter in Curious Village, disrupting it to the point Don Paolo is forced to flee. When his up special finishes, Layton is not rendered helpless.

Down Special - Stone Catapult: Layton pulls out the catapult he uses to take down Descole in Last Specter, but it has been scaled down to closely match his size. With two stones in the slinger, he charges the catapult for the first half of the attack when holding the C-stick down, and after releasing it, he will throw the two stones into the air with the help of the catapult. You can charge the catapult so that two stones can be launched farther. The farther the stones are launched, the more knock back and damage they deal. The stones deal more damage if they hit a foe that is in the air.

Final Smash:

Deduction: A cinematic Final Smash that references the most iconic cutscene in every Layton game where the Professor identifies who the real culprit behind the crime was.

The Final Smash begins with Layton taking a thinking stance and saying, "Hmmm." A glint appears in front of Layton and covers a small yet decent range in front of him. If anyone is caught within the glint's range, the screen turns white.

The scene then changes to show several people, including the culprit, sitting around a table in an old-fashioned living room, with Layton standing behind them. The people are all shadowed save for the the opponent that was caught by the glint. While taking his classic thinking stance, Layton walks around the room and says, "Someone here was the mastermind behind this awful scheme." He then looks forward the opponent and does his signature point at him/her, telling the foe, "And that person was you!" At that moment, the opponent takes on a funny stunned animation, indicating their shock at being caught. The scene then returns to the battle, only this time, the caught foe is delivered a large amount of damage and knockback. That attack can KO as early as 50%.

If Layton caught two or more foes, the scene plays out like it normally does. The only difference is that Layton uses plural nouns at the respective moments. While walking around and thinking, he says "some people" instead of "someone," and when deducing the culprit, he says "those people" instead of "that person."

I can also imagine a nice Easter Egg where all the shadowed people are individuals that appeared in past Layton games.

Taunts:

Up Taunt: Layton adjusts his hat, then pouts his arms. As he pouts his arms, he says, "Every puzzle has an answer."

The victory melody would be a more melodic version of the "Puzzle Solved" soundbite, heard in the video brought up with the first animation.

Animation 1: Layton puts his hand on his chin, closes his eyes and looks down, then looks back up at the camera. He follows with his signature point and says, "I've found the solution!" This entire animation plays out exactly like the "Puzzle Solved "bit after solving a puzzle. Here's a video for reference:

Remove the black stills that interrupt at the different intervals to make the whole animation more fluid, and that's how it would likely play out in Smash.

Animation 2: Layton adjusts his hat and says "A true gentleman leaves no puzzle unsolved." He finishes with a pout while smiling at the camera.

Animation 3: Layton brushes both arms of his coat as if he is removing dust. As he does so, he states, "That was quite the riveting match!" He then adjusts his coat by putting both hands on the zipper sides to tuck his coat up.

Losing Animation: A basic losing animation that involves Layton clapping towards his left side while holding a smile on his face.

Phew, that was a lot I wrote down. I think you can imagine how much this character means to me after reading through this post. The day Professor Layton is revealed for Smash will definitely go down as one of the happiest days in my life if it actually happens, and it's something I still hope for.

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Predictions

Waluigi (Super Mario): 36.94%

Very popular character from the Mario series, but his status as a spin-off exclusive character will most likely inhibit his chances from reaching sky-rocketing scores.